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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23767912">come home, ziva.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasisst00pid/pseuds/jasisst00pid'>jasisst00pid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>7x01, F/M, Getting Together, Somalia, Ziva David comes home, how s7e1 should’ve ended</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:35:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23767912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasisst00pid/pseuds/jasisst00pid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Somalia strips them bare, leaves only hollow chests and hands searching for comfort. In which Ziva David never really dies.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>come home, ziva.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i am: soft for tiva always</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ziva had been trapped here for weeks, months now she could guess. They’re moving her again, they seem to do that a lot, try to confuse her and break her. Ziva used to think of herself as unbreakable, someone with a handle on herself. This changed that. Michael changed that. Tony changed that. She’s in a room alone now, tucked into a corner like a scared animal when she thinks of Tony. </p><p>“You jeopardized your entire career and for what?” Ziva had screamed at him in Israel. “For you,” Tony had replied gently. Looking back, she sees that he wanted to save her. That he couldn’t have believed she was a traitor for a moment, not after what they’d been through. Idly she wonders how Tony is, he’s probably hitting on every new recruit they get, calling Tim various nicknames and grating Gibbs last nerve. She misses him, she misses him so bad her chest aches. </p><p>One of the men, armed to the teeth, unlocks her door before dragging her up from the floor and shoving a hood roughly over her head. She’s lead to a room, thrown in a chair and the hood is ripped off. All she can do is gasp when she sees him. “Well, how was your summer?” Tony asks, in his ever charming ways. “Out of everyone in the world who could have found me, it had to be you.”</p><p>”You’re welcome,” Ziva would roll her eyes if she hadn’t thought she’d die soon. “So, are you glad to see me?” He keeps licking his lips, she wonders if he’s dehydrated. “You should not have come,” she tells him. He should be home right now. He should be safe. Tony makes a few comments, would be jokes, she doesn’t pay much mind too. “Are you alright, Mcgee?” She asks, still staring at Tony. “Just glad you’re alive.”</p><p>”You thought I was dead.” It isn’t a question, more of a statement of a gut wrenching realization. Tony agrees to Mcgees sentiment. “Then why are you here?” Why would they have come if they thought she was dead? Why would they risk their lives like this? “Well Mcgee, Mcgee didn’t think you were dead,” Ziva is still a bit confused, she wants him to go home. To be safe again. “Tony, why are you here?” She asks again. </p><p>Tony grunts a bit, like he’s trying not to say whatever it is he’s about to say. “Couldn’t live without ya, I guess,” Ziva decides not to dwell on what that meant for now.  Tony tells her he’s under a truth serum of some sort, she knows what he’s talking about they’d used it on her after all. “I did not ask for anyone to put themselves in harms way for me. I do not deserve it.” Tony groans again at that, trying to resist what he’s going to say. “I’d die for you, Ziva, you know that. No matter what happens to us, I would,” and he’s so incredibly sincere her heart fractures. </p><p>“You two save yourselves. I am ready to die,” Tony looks angry at her for this. “That’s not how it works,” Tim speaks up. Then they explain the plan, before she knows it a shot rings through the room and Saleem is dead on the floor, the rest of the fight is a blur. Not really a fight, she can’t much walk on her own but before she knows it, they’ve boarded a cargo plane headed for DC. They do not speak in the elevator ride up, she does not say a word as Abby pulls her into a hug, silently wincing at her ribs, probably just bruised she ventures. </p><p>Ziva is released from the hospital a few hours later, having been told she’s just severely bruised and prescribed some pain killers. Her apartment seems incredibly lonely when she opens the door, sighing she locks it after her. She takes a much too long, much needed shower and lets the water run cold against her back letting it remind her she is alive. Ziva doesn’t sleep that night, forces herself out of bed early in the morning and heads to NCIS. She wants her damn job back. </p><p>After a talk with Gibbs, one that had brought tears falling down her cheeks, she decides she will quit Mossad. That she wants to become an NCIS agent. That night, sleep is constantly out of reach for her and around two am she makes a decision. She grabs a coat and shoes, not much bothering to change out of her comfy clothes and drives. Before she can talk herself out of it she’s knocking on the door, he’s probably asleep she thinks. I should just go, but as she’s starting to leave the door opens.</p><p>“Going so soon?” Tony asks, and she realizes how much she’d missed his voice. It was an odd thing to miss about a person, but his snark and sarcasm and jokes, they made her feel at home. He doesn’t say another word as he motions for her to come in, she does, reluctantly. The tv is going, some show she doesn’t recognize as she sits on the couch staring at her palms. “I realize now,” she begins, not meeting his eyes. “that Michael was not your fault. That you were only there because you didn’t believe what everything pointed to.” </p><p>Tony sits down heavily next to her. “I went there because I wanted to save you, Ziva.” She looks at him now. “I’d never believe for a second you’d do those things, which lead me to Michael. The thought of him hurting you made me sick, I needed you to know the truth so I could protect you.” He finishes and Ziva stares at him, taken aback. “Why do you focus so heavily on protecting me, Tony? With Michael and then in Somalia,” Ziva asks and Tony huffs a bitter laugh. </p><p>“Because I meant it as much as I’d ever meant anything when I said I couldn’t live without you.” It’s quiet for a few moments before he continues. “I was ready to die in Somalia. All hope I had, it’d just left. I’d prayed you were still alive but I couldn’t believe it. Way I saw it there were two outcomes. Either I was wrong and we saved you or,” Ziva cuts him off. “Or you’d die trying.” No one has cared for Ziva like this before her team, but Tony was different. He exhales shakily and nods. </p><p>Ziva moves and sits on the floor in front of him, taking his hands. “I could not live without you either, Tony,” And it’s so unbearably genuine her heart picks up. Tony let’s his forehead rest against hers. “Can you do me a solid and never fake die again please?” He whispers and Ziva smiles, her hand finding its way to rest on his face. “I think I can do that,” and she’s pressing a light kiss to his lips, Tony responds immediately, kissing her like it’s all he’s wanted to do for years. </p>
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